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Team GB heads for
Holland

On
Thursday, 23 July, the 2009 Team GB Agility squad sets out to join teams from all over the
world for the European Open Agility championships, held this year at Sportcomplex
Papendal at Arnhem in The Netherlands. It is the second year that the official UK team has
taken part in The European Open, which despite being officially recognised by the FCI
and based on the 2007 FCI-Agility regulations, is open to pedigree and non-pedigree dogs alike.
(Other FCI events, including the World Championships, remain open only to pedigree dogs). Last
year the GB team achieved some excellent results in both Team and Individual events but, of
course, this year's squad is hoping to do even better. Graham Partridge, Team Manager,
explains.

Travelling
outThe squad,
consisting of 17 competitors,
vet Rachel Mowbray who this year will be a competitor in the Open and Dave Jolly, acting
as Assistant Team Manager and Coach, is travelling out to Arnhem on the morning of Thursday, 23
July. Each member of the team is making their own travel arrangements although a mini-bus has
been arranged by the Kennel Club for the support staff and for anyone who did not wish to
drive. We are grateful to Euro Tunnel this year for allowing the Team a discounted passage and
free travel for the dogs.
The whole Team is staying at the Mercure Arnhem Hotel.

Seventeen
minutes to practise!
On the Friday, 24th the team members have to register with the European Open
organisers and have their pet passports checked, hand in their Agility Record books and be
ready for any health checks or measuring requests. Registration is followed by a strictly
rationed practice session on Friday afternoon - as we have 17 dogs we are allocated 17 minutes
in the ring.

Finally on Friday evening, there is an opening ceremony where all the team will parade. Nearly
700 dogs will take part - 348 Large, 184 Medium and 159 Small dogs representing 27 countries.
The event is held outside in four rings.

IndividualThe
championship starts on Saturday, 25th with the Individual competition. This will be
held over two initial rounds - one jumping and one agility. The top 20 from each round will
qualify for the final round on Saturday afternoon, together with the top placed competitor from
each country.

TeamsOn
Sunday the Team competition takes place. We have two Large teams, one Medium team and one Small
team. The Medium and Small teams compete against each other but there is a separate competition
for Large teams. You can have a minimum of three and maximum of four members in a team. Again
the Team Event is held over two rounds, one agility and one jumping, but there is no final
round. Each competitor receives points depending on where they are placed in each round. You
then add all the points scored by each team member to determine the winning team. Only the
points from the three best runs per team will count so as we have four in each team, we will be
able to drop one score. The team with the most points wins.

Home againWe
will return home on Monday, 27 July hopefully with some silverware and having had a good time
and witnessed some great Agility.

The Teams are
below. Each member has qualified at a tough selection day in April where the top placed dogs in
each height category were selected.

http://www.europeanopen.nl/index-eng.html(Excellent site, in English as well as German and Dutch, which includes
travel directions, accommodation details, full running orders for all teams, competition
Regulations, full timetable of events, details of judges and more)